When Time Stops
by Digi Elle
Summary: An unexpected turn in Jou's life makes him choose a path that might do him more wrong than good. Will he notice it in time?
1. Chapter 1

Warning: Yaoi

Disclaimer: Don't own the Yugi-Oh characters.

A/N: The idea popped up in my head yesterday night so I thought I'd give it a try. Can seem strange in the beginning but I hope you'll get the courage and patience to read to the end.  
_Edit: I changed the name, I think this one's more fitting (and also the account)_

**"****-" "-" "-"**

_**When Time Stops  
**_

**"****-" "-" "-"**

"Hey Jou, truth or dare?" asked Yugi with an everlasting smile on his face.

"Truth, I'm too tired to do a dare" Jou answered from his laying position on the floor, head propped on his arms.

"Hum…did you ever…sleep with someone?" By the end of his question, Yugi had turned a nice shade of red.

"Yes" The blond answered without hesitation. He had stopped being shy about this subject along time ago. Gangs did that to you.

Yugi and Ryou blushed, Otogi looked up and Honda just gaped.

"Really? Why didn't you tell me?" came the shocked answer of Honda. "When?"

"One answer at a time. Ryou, truth or dare?"

**"****-" "-" "-"**

_The rain was falling hard on the pavement and dirt and just about every surface it could reach. It had been raining for most of the day and it still didn't look like it'd stop any time soon._

_A young boy was sitting on a bench in the park. He came at the beginning of the afternoon and didn't move from his spot on the wet wood since then. There was a gash on his right cheek which stopped bleeding after being continuously washed by the rain._

_His blond was plastered on his forehead and the sides of his face. He was looking up, blinking every now and then to get the water away but glaring for the most part. The boy was silently defying the rain, the sky and everything around him. If he was going to die tonight might as well do it with his head held up high. That's what his sick logic was telling him. Could you die from just sitting under the rain? He thought that if he stayed long enough he'd eventually find out. Wasn't it just lucky that he had nowhere to be? _

_The hood of his sweatshirt slide down his head with the weight of the rain and still he didn't move. He was already wet, not like the hood had been of any protection. _

_The blond boy had gotten in a fight earlier with his father which got him a nice bruise on the back near his left shoulder. More than angry with his dad and himself, he had left the usual meeting place of his gang. Sure the guy didn't know that he was hurt at that precise place but did he have to greet him with a light slap? It was the last straw that made him break. He had punched him without really thinking. And so they thought. He had won without to much trouble. The guy had been stupid to even think he had a chance against him but the cheating bastard still managed to cut him with a peace of glass. After that he had left more angry than ever with a nice scratch on his cheek and came to the last place he knew no one would bother him. The park._

_Anger soon turned to sadness. The place was empty! If it wasn't for the soft splatter of the rain, it would have been dead silent. He figured that if there wasn't anyone it was probably because it was raining. _

_A boy came raining, followed closely by a girl. They were using their bag as a cover from the rain. She tripped, a small sound escaping her mouth and barely caught herself. The boy stopped and turned around. He smiled before catching her hand and they were off again._

_Why wasn't there anyone else in the park? Was he the only one with such a pitiful life? Or maybe he was the only one insane enough to stay in the rain… Oh well, he wasn't one to give up, he'd stay under the rain until something happened. Not too long a go, there was a man, in his forties maybe. He had stopped to look at him and he remember thinking something along the lines 'if he talks to me I'll go back home'. But the man had just shaken his head before leaving. _

_Maybe he was pitiful. Was he asking for help? No, it couldn't be. He didn't care if he died, no one cared. He wasn't afraid of anything! Death meant nothing to him. Nothing…just like him… He went back to glaring to the rain. Blame the sky. It was easy. He could do that for now, he'd think later if he was still alive._

_Some time past. Maybe an hour, maybe more, maybe less. He felt something drop on his head, blocking his view of the sky and stopping the rain in its course. He slowly lifted his hand and reached for the cloth. He got it out of his sight and found himself starring at a guy. He looked older that him. What was he doing here?_

"_Whatever made me go through the park…" The boy grumbled under his breath but the blond still caught it. "Well get up, I won't wait forever." He snapped._

_The blond blinked. Had the guy gone insane? He didn't know him or at least didn't think so. _

"_Are you going to move or what?" The boy grabbed him by the arm and brought him to a standing position. He hand slipped in his as he started walking, tugging him along._

"_Heh? What are doing…where are you taking me?" The blond asked in a shriek. _

"_Blame it on my conscience. I can't just let you die now that I saw you. How old are you anyway?"_

"_Thirteen."_

"_Aren't your parents going to be worried?" He received a shrug. "Oh well. Name?"_

"_Jounouchi Katsuya."_

" _Kanae Haru. You're going to have one hell of a cold tomorrow."_

_Jou clutched the coat in his hand and cried silently under the cover of the rain. Maybe he had been just asking for help after all. _

**"****-" "-" "-"**

"Ryou, are you in love?" Jou asked with a knowing smile.

All the gazes were on him. He blushed. "I…I…I'll switch to dare!" Ryou stuttered.

"You can't do that." Otogi said while playing with one of his bangs. He actually wanted to know the answer now that he knew the white haired boy loved someone.

"Nah, it's fine. You'll have to help with the literature assignment, 'kay?"

"Fine." Ryou grumbled but it was still better than telling his secret. "My turn. Jou, truth or dare?"

"Ya can't ask the one who just asked you!"

"I'm sure it's fine." Otogi imitated Jou's voice, making everyone laugh.

He stuck his tongue. "Truth…"

"When did you sleep with someone? Do we know the person?"

"Fourteen. And you don't know who it is." He grinned. "Even though that was to question…"

"Fourteen? And you never told me all this time? I thought I was your best friend!"

Jou found himself in a headlock.

"Ha drop it Honda! You never asked…" He said as he tried to free himself.

**"****-" "-" "-"**

"_Told you you'd have one hell of a cold. That's what you get for staying under the rain all day." He said as he watched the boy throw up for the third time._

_One hell of a cold was an understatement. He got it all from fever, to running nose and lets not forget the scratchy throat; and if the guy made an other stupid comment, he swore to himself he'd throw up on him the next time._

"_Hey, I got school today. I'll be by three, think you can manage that long on your own?"_

_Jou nodded his head._

"_There's some soup, heat it up if you're hungry. Water's on the nightstand." He tossed him the phone. "If you have a problem just call me."_

_The blond head hit the pillow after he drank some water to take the disgusting taste out of his mouth._

"_You're listening there?"_

"_Hai, hai…" Jou mumbled as he snuggled deeper under the covers._

"_If you don't get better before tomorrow, I'll call a doctor."_

"_Mmm…"_

_Kanae sighed and left._

**"****-" "-" "-"**

"Thinking about something pervert?" Otogi came to sit beside Jou on the floor.

"Huh? No. what makes you think that?"

"You have that silly smile on your face and a dazed look like the one Honda has when he's watching up a girl's skirt."

"No way!" Jou lightly punched him before resting his head on Otogi's shoulder. "Just tired. Long week."

"You tell me."

**"****-" "-" "-"**

_The first three days were fuzzy. Between throwing up and taking his medicine he didn't remember much. It wasn't before the fourth day, that he actually felt better. It was like you woke up of a bad nightmare but refreshed. _

"_Since you feel better, go take a shower, you stink. It will take me ages to take the bad smell of this room and let's not talk about the sheets." _

_Jou had grown used to the number one jerk Kanae and his comments. _

"_I can leave if I'm so much of a bother."_

"_I was planning on waiting for tomorrow but which ever suits better."_

_Jou stuck his tongue out and went to hide under the covers but before he managed that, he received a towel on the face._

"_Bathroom's the first door to your left."_

**"****-" "-" "-"**

"How about we call it a night?" Yugi said, getting up to take the DVD from the player. "Jou and Otogi slept through the last movie and Ryou kept dizzying off."

"Yeah, good idea." Honda got up and popped his back. "What's the sleeping arrangements?"

"My bed is big enough for two so I thought…"

"But not long enough if you ask me." Jou piped in.

"Oh shut up, no one asked you." Yugi tossed him a pillow. "So as I was saying before being interrupted" He stuck his tongue at Jou. "Ryou and I can sleep on my bed and I can get a mattress on the floor. Plus the two couches here."

"I'll take the mattress!" Jou got on his feet. "Honda and Otogi snore!"

"I do not!" The dice boy said indignantly. "Only un-cute persons snore."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Honda glared at the black haired teen.

"It's ok, it's not like it's your fault. Life can be unfair sometimes."

"Oh you…"

"Please don't break anything. We're off, good night."

Three snickering teens went up too Yugi's room, leaving the other two fighting like usual.

**"****-" "-" "-"**

"_Just in time for breakfast." Kanae set the plates. "You hungry I hope. I made too much."_

"_Pancakes?" Jou asked as he sat down in front of Kanae._

"_You don't really look Japanese. Don't make the difficult or I'll feed you cat food." _

_The blond shrugged. He had barely eaten in the past three days so he really wasn't going to play difficult. He took a bit. "It's really great."_

"_Hum, thanks."_

_Silence._

_Jou looked at that watch. "Huh, aren't you supposed to go to school?" _

"_Not going." Kanae finished his plate before speaking again. "Shouldn't you call your parents?"_

"_I did it on the first day. When you left for school." Jou lied._

"_What did they say?" He got up and started cleaning._

"_That they had been worried but that they felt better now that they knew I was fine." Jou looked down at his empty plate not wanting to give his lie away._

"_Really?" Kanae grabbed Jou's plate and finished clearing the table._

"_Yeah." He looked up with a small smile._

"_Wanna play? I got a new fighting game last week. I was waiting for the occasion to test it with someone. You'll do." He said ruffling Jou's hair._

_They played all day just stopping to eat some more pancakes for lunch. It was the first time in a long time that Jou had fun. He couldn't stop himself from grinning all day even with Kanae's annoying comments._

_When the night rolled by, they ate a light dinner and settled in front of the TV, Kanae on the couch and Jou on an armchair. _

_After about half an hour in the movie, Jou grew bored and settled his gaze on his host. Kanae looked really involved in the movie. Jou took the time to watch the older boy. He had beautiful brown hair which fell on his eyes. They weren't too long in the back more like unorganized, they went in every possible direction. He'd probably have to cut it soon though, Jou thought as he saw him reach the front bangs to get them out of the way. What he like the most about the boy was definitely his eyes. They were a deep green and glistened with life. He was a bit envious, his looked a dull brown right know. _

_He unconsciously tugged his blond bangs too cover his eyes. He knew exactly what they looked like. They looked dead. His gaze dropped to the floor. He didn't mind or at least that was what he told himself. Looks weren't everything. So what if he didn't look handsome._

_Kanae switched the TV off at the end of the movie. His little guest had fallen asleep a long time ago. He looked at him for a while before getting up. They must have been really twisted; the two of them. Who was sane enough to take in a stranger and to go to a stranger's home after just meeting?_

"_Oh well, I've never been known for my common sense."_

_The following morning Jou woke up in the bed he had occupied for now nearly a week. He heard a knock on the door before it opened._

"_You're up? Breakfast will be ready in a few you just got time for a quick shower. I put your uniform in the bathroom."_

_A while later they were standing at a corner on the sidewalk in their respective uniform._

"_We part here. My high school's the other way." _

"_Oh…Huh…right…" Jou fidgeted._

"_Well see ya around!" Kanae tossed over his shoulder as he started walking down the road. Soon he turned another corner and the blond lost sight of him._

_That was it. What had he thought? That he'd live with him forever or something?_

"_Yeah right…" He mumbled to himself as he started walking to his own school. "I'm really stupid…"_

**"****-" "-" "-"**

A/N: There you go. Hope you liked. I'll try updating soon. And if anyone is interested in beta-ing me, mail me :p


	2. Chapter 2

Warning: Yaoi 

Disclaimer: Don't own the Yugi-Oh characters.

**"****-" "-" "-"**

_It took him two weeks to finally admit that he missed the strange boy who tended to him when he was ill. His own father wouldn't have done as much for him and yet a stranger cared for him. For as long as it lasted anyway. _

_Jou was currently standing at the corner he had last seen the older boy. He had tried finding the flat again but got lost. He hopped that he'd still meet him waiting here. And if he didn't he had the other alternative; call him. Jou had kept the small piece of paper on which Kanae had written his phone number. But that would be a last resort. He wasn't that desperate. _

**"****-" "-" "-"**

"I'm going to miss you during the holydays." Ryou sat on the bed and grabbed a pillow.

"You see me everyday of the week. If you wanted to meet me alone you should just have asked?" Jou kneeled on the mattress, arms on the edge of the bed.

"Baka!" The white haired boy blushed. "I was talking referring to everyone!" Ryou never swore before or at least before Jou started his innuendos which were completely wrong! He liked Bakura dammit!

"Summe break's still great I think."

"What are you talking about?" Yugi asked, walking in the room.

Jou waved a hand in the air. "Depressing things and how Ryou miss me."

"Jou!" Ryou said indignantly.

"Don't worry Ryou, we won't tell anything to Bakura." Yugi winked at say boy.

Ryou's eyes widened. "Not you too!"

"Oh no! I perverted our young and innocent Yugi! Yami's gonna kill me!" Jou put a hand on his forehead and fell on his bed.

"And then you wonder why everyone asks you if you're in the drama club." Yugi sat on the bed. "So…what are you doing in the up coming holidays? I might go to Egypt with my Grandpa and Yami."

"Really? That's great! You'll get to see your mother too." Ryou said excitedly.

"Yeah I know. I kinda miss her to tell the truth."

"That's okay. I miss my dad too. I don't know what I'd do if Bakura wasn't around. That's what I was just telling Jou."

"Yeah but before that we got our exams so you're helping me tomorrow Ryou."

**"****-" "-" "-"**

_It took him two weeks to finally admit that he missed the strange boy who tended to him when he was ill. His own father wouldn't have done as much for him and yet a stranger cared for him. For as long as it lasted anyway. _

_Jou was currently standing at the corner he had last seen the older boy. He had tried finding the flat again but got lost. He hopped that he'd still meet him waiting here. And if he didn't he had the other alternative; call him. Jou had kept the small piece of paper on which Kanae had written his phone number. But that would be a last resort. He wasn't _that_ desperate. _

**"****-" "-" "-"**

"Ow…Way to spoil the mood Jou." Ryou wined.

"There's a new arcade opening soon. How about we go there after we're done with our exams?" Yugi asked excitedly.

"I wouldn't mind. I heard about it, it looks promising."

"I can already hear Anzu." Jou's voice got a octave highter. "Boys, do you ever think of other things than games? That's all we ever do when we meet!"

They laughed.

"Well, she must be right at some extent." Ryou shrugged.

"And I wouldn't mind doing something else with her." Yugi had a far away look on his face.

"Pervert!" Both Ryou and Jou shouted at him before exploding in laugher when Yugi turned red.

"That…that's not what I was thinking about!" He blushed even more when they didn't stop. "How…how about we sleep?"

They all got in place, and just before Jou switched the lamp he winked at Yugi.

"Sweet dreams."

**"****-" "-" "-"**

_Okay…Now he was desperate! And embarrassed. After waiting for more than two hours, an old woman came out of a flower shop (the one he was standing in front) and asked if he was lost. It took him a good ten minutes to convince that he wasn't lost; and she only let him go because he told her he was waiting for his older brother. Then he just acted like he had the wrong place and that he should have been waiting somewhere over there instead before fleeing. _

'_Where to go, where to go…' He was walking aimlessly. Friday night wasn't a good night. It often meant that his gang would try to party which always ended with troubles and that his father would come home drunk and with some prostitutes if he got lucky. He was definitely not going home._

_He sat down on a bench and sighed. Life was unfair. Why couldn't he do something fun like his friends did during Fridays night? He drew his legs to his chest and plopped his head on his knees. _

"_My…Is it going to become a habit? You, sleeping on bench and me finding you?"_

_Jou's head shot up. He knew that voice. "Kanae…-san?" _

"_The one and only. That you know anyway. And drop the 'san', it doesn't look like something you'd say."_

_He stuck his tongue out. "Jeez sorry! I was just trying to be polite."_

_Kanae ruffled his hair. "Hey brat. I brought two pizzas" He showed the bag he had in hand. "but my friend ditched me out at the last minute. Wanna eat with me?"_

_The blond looked surprised. He wasn't expecting an invitation but he eagerly accepted._

"_Well let's go then."_

_They walked for about ten minutes before reaching the flat. The area looked so great! Now that it wasn't raining and dark, he could see the different little shops and house they passed. And there even was a ground play. He refrained from jumping up and down or giggling. He was thirteen nearly fourteen; he didn't play in those anymore of course._

_The two boys entered the flat and took of there shoes. _

"_I'll get some plates; we'll eat in front of the TV."_

**"****-" "-" "-"**

"Jou! Trying paying attention! I don't want to spend my whole afternoon doing history…" Ryou whined. It was the perfect weather outside, sunny with a light wind. Yugi, Anzu, Honda and Otogi were at the park with the Yamis and he was stuck helping Jou. Life was so unfair! And since when did Jou care about marks?

"I don't care. I just don't want to be stuck in summer class."

Oups, Ryou had said the last part aloud. He pouted.

"Ow, Ryou! Don't make that face! Here, I just have to make a plan for my essay and I'll be all done."

"Okay, I'll help you."

They worked a bit more before meeting the others at the park. History was the only subject where Jou was behind. It was also the only subject which required regular work, something he didn't have the time to do. What? He had a busy life! And he wasn't going to spend his summer break in some over heated classroom. He had better plans of how to spend his time! A grin made his way to his lips.

**"****-" "-" "-"**

_Time flew by and eventually the summer break came by. Jou had tried to hang out with his new friend as much as possible. Friend? He considered him a friend anyway. He didn't actually know what Kanae thought about him but he had to seem as a friend since he was letting him hang out with him._

_And now that summer break was finally here, he planned on passing all his free time with the brown haired boy. He even went as far as to find a part time job in Kanae's neighbor. It had been a long time since he was that happy about holydays. Usually it meant hanging with the gang and avoiding his father as much as possible. Not really funny. He felt a bit depressed, remembering those bad times but quickly pushed it aside. This year was different!_

"_Obasan! Where do I put that pot?" _

"_On that space I made on the front shelve and bend the branches!"_

_Did he say where he was working? At the old woman's flowers shop! She was actually pretty kind and it wasn't even hard to convince her to employ him. She had been looking for someone. Sure he told her he was sixteen but it wasn't like he was lying…He'd eventually turn sixteen just in a few more years._

"_Oba-san, what are you doing?" Jou walked up to her after accomplishing his task and leant on the counter, head lying on his arms._

"_Cutting the thorns of this rose. I can't sell it like that." She was carefully cutting the thorns of the stem with dexterous hands. It looked easy enough from an outsider point of view._

"_Can I do it? Please! Can I?" He asked, already standing up and coming to stay beside her._

_She looked at him hesitantly before agreeing. "Be careful, here hold it like that."_

_Jou carefully took the flower and the thornstripper. The job was already half way done and he was good at using sharp things. He copied the old woman's movement, finding it harder than expected. He was nearly done when his finger fell on a thorn._

"_Itai…that hurts…" He whined, looking at his bleeding finger for a second before putting it in his mouth._

_She grabbed the rose from his other hand. "Well, it's well done for a first time." She quickly finished it. "Roses are so beautiful that you tend to forget that they can be deadly. Especially red ones."_

"_Heh? You're exaggerating!" He said taking her words literally. "You can't die from a thorny rose! Look," He said showing his finger, "it's not bleeding anymore!"_

"_Hai." She smiled, her sad expression vanishing. Who could stay sad when the golden boy was grinning like that? "Here, you can have it."_

"_Hum…okay…what do you do with it?" _

"_Give it to a loved one of course!"_

"_A loved one?" He cocked his head to the side. _

"_Hai! Now of you go! My conscience won't let me hold such a sweet boy longer during his summer break!" She pushed him gently toward the exit._

"_Heh? Thank you obasan!" He waved back before running outside. "See ya tomorrow!"_

_Jou was currently sitting on the kitchen table, head pillowed on his arms. His gaze wondered to red rose which he had put in the longest glass he could find since Kanae didn't seem to have a vase and filled it with water. His feet were kicking fervently under the table as he waited for the boy to come home. Oh by the way, since he had almost been living in Kanae's house the two last week before the summer break, Kanae had decided to give a key. Now if only Kanae could come._

_And because we weren't in a movie, he had to actually wait ten more minutes before hearing the door opening and the usual grumble that followed. Kanae didn't seem to like his job a lot._

_Jou got on his feet with lightning speed, grabbed the glass and was standing by the brown haired before he could even get out of his shoes. He pushed the glass in Kanae's face and blurted a quick "for you!". A loved one? That was easy! Kanae was the person he loved the most right know, and if he could have his way he wouldn't change anything. He had never been that happy._

_Kanae took the glass from in front his face and looked at the flower. A rose. "You know, he usually it's the person who receives the flower who puts it in a vase."_

"_Ah…" Jou was at a loss. It really wasn't the response he was expecting. But Kane wouldn't be Kanae if he had answered with a "thank you" like any normal person. "I…I didn't want it to wither."_

_Kanae kicked of his shoes. "Baka, flowers don't wither that fast." He ruffled Jou's hair as he passed him, depositing the glass on the low table of the living room._

_Jou's smile couldn't have been any bigger as he bounced behind the older boy. He was positive that summer break would become his favorite. _

**"****-" "-" "-"**

"Ah! My hair!" Yugi shrieked as Honda poured a bottle of water on his head. His hair not resisting the attack, slowly crumbled, spiked disappearing into the dark mass.

"Here, I'll make it all better!" Honda grinned madly before ruffling Yugi's hair.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Yugi was laughing in the friendly attack.

"Yugi's in danger! We shall save him!" Otogi and Jou said in an imitation of knights. They seemed to pop up, one at each side of Honda's before attacking him with their own bottle of water. Honda felt his only spike suffer the same destiny as Yugi's.

"No fair! You're teaming up against me!"

"I'm the only survivor! What will I do?" Jou shouted.

"What…?" Otogi was going to ask him what he meant by that before the last of Jou's water was thrown at him. "Jounouchi Katsuya! You are so dead!"

And so the chase started.

Anzu was laughing at the boys antics sitting next to Yami, while Ryou was talking with Bakura. Yami looked perplexed at the strange game and threw a helpless look at Yugi. He had promised who wouldn't interfere in their game but still…it was hard to only watch when he wanted to help his light.

Yugi walked to his side. "Don't worry Yami, I'm having fun!"

"If you say so…" Yami still looked uncertain though.

"You look cute with your hair down Yugi!" Anzu giggled. "Have a seat."

"Thanks…" Yugi mumbled blushing lightly. He refrained from hiding behind Yami and took a seat beside Anzu watching the others.

By know was laughing under Otogi and Honda's simultaneous attack (since the blond was really fast), getting drenched to the bone. It didn't help that they got him when he was passing the small fountain. Next time he'd have to plan his strategy better.

**"****-" "-" "-"**

A/N: Niah, what did you think? It is a Jou centric fic but I still hope it doesn't come of as boring… :s


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